Spa-style bathrooms have become increasingly popular in recent years. Homeowners seek spaces to help them relax at the end of a long day and what better way than with a shower that improves the comfort and performance of your bathroom. Two popular features include steam showers and jetted showers for your bathroom remodel.
How Do Steam Showers Work?
Typically, a steam unit is installed behind the walk-in shower walls and hooked up to the plumbing and an electric unit that controls temperature and steam output, is mounted inside or outside the shower.
A small nozzle, usually located near the bottom of the shower floor, provides the steam. To use the shower, close the glass doors, set the temperature and duration, and enjoy a steam bath.
How Do Jetted Showers Work?
The shower head or heads are accompanied by spray jets, which aim pressurized water at different points of your body — upper and lower back and legs. The controls allow you to pinpoint the exact temperature of the water, shower head or heads and spray jets – providing a custom shower experience.
Why Choose a Steam Shower for Your Bathroom Remodel?
Steam showers use relatively little water because any water that enters the unit is converted into steam, which takes up more space as vapor than as a liquid. The unit also heats the water to steam, which means that it uses much less electricity than a water heater, which supplies a jetted shower.
Why Choose a Jetted Shower for Your Bathroom Shower Design?
Jetted showers use a tremendous amount of water per minute. A body spray uses between 2 and 5 gallons of water per minute, and most jetted showers have at least three.
A shower head in a jetted shower uses roughly 7 gallons a minute, and most showers have two. This means that on average, a jetted shower uses 23 gallons of water a minute, which is more than the average output of some wells.
The Best Choice for Your Bathroom Remodeling Project?
Home remodeling contractors will educate you on the best option for your shower area. They’ll plan your bathroom shower with the materials you’ve chosen for your complete bathroom remodeling project.
Understand that steam is essentially water vapor, so it can enter porous surfaces and deposit minerals that may be in the water. For this reason, natural stone cannot be used in a steam shower because this may stain the stone.
Other porous materials may cause mold or mildew growth if not kept well sealed, including the grout in tile. Jetted showers can be installed with any shower surround such as, mosaic tile and the very popular subway tile.
If relaxation beats aesthetics when it comes to your bathroom remodel, here are the general facts you should know:
Steam showers are meant for sitting and relaxing. Many people follow their steam with a cool shower from a standard shower to finish the cleansing and relaxing process.
Jetted showers use significantly more water than standard showers or steam, so they are meant to be enjoyed more quickly. The average jetted shower lasts between 4 and 5 minutes, giving you a quick massage rather than a long, relaxing experience.
Health concerns to consider when planning your bathroom remodel in Westfield, NJ
Steam showers are designed for 10 to 20 minutes of use. After 10 minutes, the heart rate can speed up to double what it was before entering the shower. After 15 minutes, there is also a risk of dehydration. On the contrary, jetted showers have no such health concerns and can be enjoyed by a wider group of people.
Get a Free Remodeling Consultation & Project Quote